The COP welcomed the
report of the Executive Committee, and noted with appreciation the significant progress
in advancing the implementation of the initial two-year workplan of the
Executive Committee. It requested the Committee to continue to implement activities under
this workplan.

The COP approved the indicative framework for the five-year rolling workplan
of the Executive Committee as the basis for developing corresponding activities, starting at
the first meeting of the Committee in 2017, and it requested the Committee to include in its
five-year rolling workplan:

Relevant work for advancing the operationalization of the mandates relating to
aclearing house on risk transfer and a task force on
displacement); and

A strategic workstream to guide the implementation of the Warsaw International
Mechanism’s function of enhancing action and support, including
finance, technology and capacity-building, to address loss and damage.

Review of the Warsaw International Mechanism

Having considered the mandate, structure and effectiveness of the Warsaw International
Mechanism, the COP recommended that there should be a process to periodically review the
Mechanism, with the next review be held in 2019.

As an input to the 2019 review, the COP requested the secretariat to prepare a technical
paper elaborating the sources of financial support as provided through the Financial
Mechanism, and finance available outside of the Financial Mechanism, for addressing loss and
damage, as well as modalities for accessing such support.

The COP also made substantive recommendations to advance the work of the Executive
Committee.

For additional details see the two decisions related
to the Warsaw International Mechanism adopted by the COP at its 22nd session.

2015
Adoption of the Paris Agreement

30 November - 11 December (SBSTA 43/SBI 43/COP 21)

The Paris Agreement

The COP adopted the Paris Agreement and related decisions.

Article 8 of the Paris Agreement Parties recognized the importance of averting, minimizing
and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change,
including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable
development in reducing the risk of loss and damage. Article 8 also identified areas of
cooperation and facilitation to enhance understanding, action and support in this
context.

Establish a clearing house for risk transfer that serves as a repository for
information on insurance and risk transfer, in order to facilitate the efforts of Parties
to develop and implement comprehensive risk management strategies

Establish a task force to complement, draw upon the work of and involve, as
appropriate, existing bodies and expert groups under the Convention including the
Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, as well as relevant
organizations and expert bodies outside the Convention, to develop recommendations for
integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse
impacts of climate change

The COP also finalized the organization and the governance of the Executive Committee. Key
agreements include:

The Committee shall be composed of:

10 members from Annex I Parties

10 members from non-Annex I Parties, comprising two members each from the African,
Asia-Pacific, and the Latin American and Caribbean States, one member from SIDS, one
member from LDCs, and two additional members from non-Annex I Parties

The Committee may establish expert groups, subcommittees, panels, thematic advisory
groups or task-focused ad hoc working groups, in an advisory role, to help execute the work
of the Executive Committee.

For additional details see the decision
adopted by the COP at its 20th session.

4 - 15 June (SBSTA 40/SBI 40)

At the 40th session of the SBSTA and the SBI, Parties initiated their consideration of the
composition of, and procedures for, the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International
Mechanism for Loss and Damage. Parties agreed to continue their consideration of this
matter at SBSTA 41 and SBI 41, with a view to making recommendations thereon for adoption
by COP 20 (December 2014).

For additional details see the conclusions
adopted by the SBSTA and the SBI at their 40th sessions.

Earlier

2013
Establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and its Executive
Committee

The COP also established an Executive
Committee to guide the implementation of functions of the Warsaw International
Mechanism. The Executive Committee will report annually to the COP, and the COP will review
the Warsaw International Mechanism at its 22nd session
(2016).

For additional details see the
decision adopted by the COP at its 19th session.

2012

26 November - 7 December (SBI 37/COP 18)

At the 37th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made by the work
programme to date, and initiated the work on developing recommendations on loss and damage
for consideration by the COP. The SBI decided to recommend the draft decision text for
consideration and finalization by the COP at its 18th session.

For additional details see the conclusion
adopted by the SBI at its 37th session.

At the 18th Conference of the Parties, Parties decided as part of the Doha
Climate Gateway to:

Prepare technical papers: One on non-economic losses, another one on gaps in existing
institutional arrangements within and outside of the Convention.

For additional details see the decision
adopted by the COP at its 18th session.

24 November

A pre-sessional
informal meeting of Parties on loss and damage took place on 24 November. Parties
welcomed information arising from the implementation of the work programme to date, and
exchanged views on the possible recommendations on loss and damage associated with the
adverse effects of climate change.

14 - 25 May (SBI 36)

At the 36th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made to date in the
implementation of the work programme, with a view to making recommendations to the COP at
its 18th session.

Parties requested the Chair of the SBI to convene an informal pre-sessional meeting of
Parties, in conjunction with its 37th session, to exchange further views on the possible
recommendations on loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate
change.

For additional details see the conclusion
adopted by the SBI at its 36th sessions.

2011

27 November - 3 December (SBI 35)

At the 35th session of the SBI, Parties considered further activities to be undertaken in
the period up to COP 18, based on the submission and a synthesis report on views and
information on the thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work
programme, and the outcomes of the workshop on risk management approaches to the adverse
effects of climate change, providing useful inputs into the implementation of the work
programme on loss and damage.

Parties decided to recommend a draft decision for adoption by the COP at its
17th session, containing agreements to:

address issues related to thematic area 1 at the expert meeting to be held before SBI
36 (May 2012);

prepare a technical paper to feed into the expert meeting, mentioned above;

organize four expert meetings, three at the regional level and one for small island
developing States before SBI 37 (December 2012), to address issues related to thematic area
2;

prepare a technical paper on slow onset events, taking into consideration the outcomes
of the expert meetings, mentioned above;

conduct a literature review of existing information and case studies on the topics in
the context of thematic area 2;

invite Parties and relevant organizations and other stakeholders to submit views and
information on the possible elements to be included in the recommendations on loss and
damage in accordance with decision 1/CP.16.

Parties also invited organizations to provide financial and technical support for the
implementation of the activities of the work programme.

For additional details see the draft conclusions adopted by the SBI at its 35th session,
and draft
decision forwarded to the COP for adoption at its 17th session.

6-17 June (SBI 34)

At the thirty-fourth session of the SBI (June 2011), Parties considered submissions (from
Parties,
IGOs and
NGOs) and a
synthesis
report on views and information on elements to be included in the work programme, and
agreed on the following thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work
programme:

Thematic area 1: Assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse
effects of climate change and the current knowledge on the same;

Thematic area 2: A range of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the
adverse effects of climate change, including impacts related to extreme weather events and
slow onset events, taking into consideration experience at all levels;

Thematic area 3: The role of the Convention in enhancing the implementation of
approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate
change.

Parties also agreed to consider additional activities, at subsequent sessions, including by
taking into account, as appropriate:

The outcomes of the workshop to identify challenges and gaps in the implementation of
risk management approaches to the adverse effects of climate change (FCCC/SBI/2010/27,
paragraph 86);

The outcomes of the initial activities undertaken in the context of the work programme;

Inputs from processes relevant to this issue.

In the context of the work programme, the SBI invited relevant organizations and other
stakeholders to undertake further actions to assist Parties to enhance understanding of,
and expertise that will help to address, loss and damage associated with the adverse effect
of climate change, and encouraged them to share the outcomes of their activities.

Furthermore, in order to enhance understanding of the three thematic areas, the SBI:

Invited Parties and relevant organizations to submit to the secretariat, by 15 August
2011, further views and information on these areas;

Requested the secretariat to explore the possibility of convening an expert meeting
before SBI 36 with experts nominated by Parties, relevant organizations and other
stakeholders.

For additional details see the report
of the SBI 34 (paragraphs 106-116), held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 17 June 2011.